The Secret . . .

Bring someone back from the 18th century and give them a talk show! That’s my number one suggestion for how our society might be able to overcome the unforgiving and torturous nature we have slipped into.  

Everything seems to be evolving quite nicely, and any overworked soul from the 18th century would be overwhelmed and amazed by just how far we’ve come. It would appear everything has evolved with the exception of man. The society we live in has begun to not only reject its members, but also stone their reputations past recognition.   
We are still sitting in an arena paying to see our fellow neighbors torn to pieces and fed to the lions. Why do we enjoy seeing people suffer for their mistakes, and even worse the mistakes of their colleagues?  

Exactly where we went wrong as man may unfortunately lie in the ways we grew industrially. Today, we spend our days complaining about pretty much everything. AND, we have several ways to make sure everyone we ever met, hears about it.  Survival may still be our first instinct, however, our day is no longer consumed by hunting down our food, building our shelter, or sewing our clothes. But if you had spent all day hunting down your food, I bet it would taste better purely based on the effort exerted to obtain it. And, if your mother had handmade your only jacket, I doubt it would end up on the floor, in a friend’s car, or stolen last night at the club. 

Unless you were involved in the work that went into making or doing something, it’s often difficult to understand, and unfortunately too easy to disrespect and take things for granted. Everything our ancestors did, they did with a sense of permanence, not the 'oh well, you only live once' slogan of our modern day society. Is it modern conveniences that have produced the insensitive, stubborn, and unappreciative bitch our society can unfortunately be generalized as?

Our entire society, the poor included, are all rich compared to the agricultural society of yesterday. Life was hard for them, the physical labor they exerted each day just to survive, would be unimaginable and excruciating for our current society. But at the end of the day, they rested in a bed they literally made, so it ‘s not hard to understand just how aware they were of the world they lived in.

The people of the agricultural society would be incredibly appreciative and amazed with the industrial and technological revolution. But they may not think so highly of our gossiping media, our heavy reliance on mirrors, (and dare I even speak it) empty churches.

Our society lacks awareness of pretty much everything outside of the media. We can read about and find answers to almost anything thanks to the Internet, but what we are actually reading can be summarized as societal junk food. It’s either news a.k.a. gossip or entertainment a.k.a. a more dramatized kind of fake news/gossip in the form of movies and TV shows.  

How would we live our lives differently if the average life expectancy was still under 50 years? Would cutting our lives in half trigger a desire for greater understanding and awareness? 

It’s always important to be aware that things are perhaps not the way you see them. In order to understand something you must first be aware of the possibility that other views exists –and rather just have yet to exist in your mind.  

Awareness provides the raw material from which we develop ideas about our experiences and the world around us. The mind may be aware of much more than we chose to take in and contemplate. Just because we don’t, does not mean we are not capable of more. Heightening one’s awareness is a choice, but primarily is arrived at by doing for oneself.

Instead of buying the perfect dinner for your date, try making it. Instead of buying a painting for your bedroom, paint it yourself. Instead of buying endless amounts of beer, try home brewing. Instead of just simply handing over money for everything, or being spoiled by parents or your partner, try doing for yourself and experience the awareness and appreciation and understanding that will naturally occur.  

Anything forced-practiced for a period of time, can become routine and performed with ease.

So make the philosophy of awareness a habit and understanding can be achieved. 

There’s a way to articulate our thoughts in a specific way that will minimize miscommunication and improve understanding. The right words in the right order –a golden combination- will deliver indisputable satisfaction and unlock pure silence. Silence a sign that the depths of understanding have been reached. 

You can dismiss this philosophy by oversimplifying the reality of our current society, but that would be ignoring the obvious imperfections even our government is unable to hide. 

The philosophy of awareness extends much deeper than words, actions, and appreciation. It’s about achieving a deeper existence, the nature of being with the world. An inner peace achievable by seeking more control over our own thoughts and works, and allowing that which is not in our control to simply be. The society of the 18th century was not necessarily better than ours, but they certainly were more self reliant, content in their life styles, and better understood and accepted their place among the chaos. A combination of their demeanor with our advancements would be a golden combination.

                The Philosophy of Awareness

Ima G+

Google Plus... sounds awesome already right? Actually, I would have called it Googleface and just like the design of google changes everyday, your name and profile picture would automatically uniquely change everyday. But enough hype, what the #$%^ is Google Plus?

Before writing this blogpost, I tried to join Google Plus because I wanted a first hand experience to truly analyze what is said to "Seize and Conquer the Facebook Universe." However, the Google Plus project has temporarily exceeded capacity, so unfortunately all I could do was take the interactive tour. The tour should have been promising, misleading, and full of colorful lies -not unlike a presidential campaign- but instead was colorless, prude, boring, and mechanical much like a PC world. 

Google Plus vs. Facebook can similarly be compared to the Mac vs. PC campaign. If apple created a social network I can see it being very creative and innovative by allowing you cut and edit videos on your friends walls and photoshop your photos directly on the site. Buttttt a Google Plus/PC -never exceeding the basic minimal standard functionality- social network site is exactly what I found when exploring Google Plus.

The articles I read promoting Google Plus projected Facebook as a freakshow that is growing in sideshow acts. Google Plus is showcased as having the original functionalities of facebook minus the growing sketchiness of ads and weird applications. I admit facebook has reached a point to which the owners should consider drawing boundaries and building fences, however, the daily grind is boring enough, I think I'll keep my freakshow.

Google Plus allows you to put your friends in circles and only share information that is relevant to the people in that specific group. But sometimes it makes my day when Sarah Wheeler from 4th grade shows up on my newsfeed talking about some new -totally irrelevant to my life- shit that I would never know without the total randomness and sometimes freakiness of facebook. 

Google Plus... you can keep your boring cliques and sparks of news you think might interest me, but you never puked on my desk in 4th grade and I will until the end of time still find -what Sarah Wheeler from 4th grade is eating today- more interesting than what your robotic, emotionless, and boring computer code generates for me to read.

I have no doubt Mark Zuckerburg is about to unleash some monstrously dominating new features he's been feeding in the trapped doors of the facebook arena...   But if not, I have some ideas!

    1. The best part of facebook remains photo sharing capabilities so let's improve that by adding photoshop like editing tools.

    2. Dating websites are becoming solely responsible for marriage rates increasing. Facebook could capitalize with a function that allows you to not just suggest friends for your friends, but to suggest possible datemates. What better way to meet than through friends?

    3. Video messages. This function already exists in the post section, but I rarely see people taking the opportunity to be the leading role on their friend's fcbk wall. Out of embarrassment perhaps, but I think with some new quick editing features and hype -the function would become trendy...which could possibly seize and conquer YouTube ;)

    4. Question of the Day feature. Facebook could generate a new question of the day and list friend's answers in the sidebar. This would initiate unique conversations, add a reason for daily use, and no doubt spawn devilish and rude comments from all of us!

     5. Add the Google Function to facebook so I can search for some more ideas.

Be Happy!

If you’re not happy change it up! Maybe you’re feeling stuck in life and you’ve fallen into an unsatisfying routine that requires less energy. Maybe you're burnt out and just going through the motions. If you’re constantly being nagged by an inner voice to do something more, you should listen to that tiny motivation that's dying to take action. 

Change can be hard and to avoid the stress of change, people fall into routines. But change doesn't have to be hard, it's often our perception that makes things seem so difficult. You may consider changing your perspective and the way you look at yourself and the world around you. It's important to be consciously aware that all you know in life comes from your experiences and what others may have told you. Not only should you not believe everything you hear, but it's very dangerous to mold your thinking around any one particular experience. It’s important to believe that you are not only capable of anything, but also that anything is possible given the right circumstances. 

If you’ve formed strict boundaries of what you think is and is not possible, you need to find the power to move beyond those boundaries.You are cheating yourself out of life if you don't go out of bounds. It’s common for people to say things aren’t possible because they don’t see a way of them working out. Perhaps you're simply lacking the knowledge or understanding of what you consider to be impossible. 

Once you have the understanding of the impossible, only then will you be able to gain control and power through those debilitating boundaries of the mind. 

A good place to look for understanding of the impossible is the world wide web of shared information/experiences. There’s an incredible amount of information that can be found just by typing a question into an Internet search engine. Of course everyone has used search engines to find the lyrics to their favorite song, but I use search engines (google) every time I want to know anything. You're not the first person to be in your exact situation, and reading about someone else's trials and tribulations "how they did it" -can give you insight from another perspective, a perspective that you are perhaps not capable of seeing yourself. This may sound like common sense to some, but I don't believe everyone actually does this or we would have a more efficient world.

YOU ARE NOT STUCK! There are other ways, which may only seem possible if you are working towards them. There’s always going to be something else out there for you and here’s five ways to change it up!

1. Change the look of your daily environment:
You could do something simple like change the background of your computer -Desktop wallpapers here.

Or buy a plant for your room. If your bedroom walls are white, buy a poster or some inspiring art or …better yet, buy some paint and explore your artistic skills.  Here’s a link on how to become an artist.

2. Be aware of time:
If you don’t own a watch or a calendar both these things are on eBay for pennies! It’s unbelievable to me how many people never know the time or date. Time is slipping away. If you don’t wear a watch you are more likely to waste time without realizing it. My friends without watches on their wrists and calendars on their walls always tell me they use their phone for both, but I personally would never date a man without a watch. Keeping track of time makes more things possible. Once you get that watch you can do number 3!

3. Set dates to look forward to:
Make plans! Make future plans so you are moving forward. Make dinner plans or plan to meet up with an old friend. Planning ahead promotes organization and makes things seem more possible when you have time to prepare. Now, that you have that calendar you can start filling it in, and with that watch you won’t be late!

4. Reward: Buy or order yourself something you’ve been wanting. Not only can you mark on your calendar the arrival of your new toy, but the anticipation alone should keep your spirits high. I’m not an advocate of consuming things like movies, videogames, action figures or even books because all these things will undoubtedly become knickknacks grazing your walls, making it harder for you to move because you’ve collected so much useless sh!t in your life. BUttttt… instead buy something you are likely to use every week if not every day. A good example would be my recent purchase of a contact lenses case in the shape of a frog and his lily pad. This -under five dollars- purchase makes putting in my contacts every day a little more exciting! Don’t believe me? Order yours here. 

5. Escape yourself: Do something out of character
Okay be careful with this one. I’m not telling you to slam the door behind you on a stranger’s face or attempt a high-speed race with a cop instead of pulling over. But do something you wouldn’t usually such as:

Stand up at open mic night!  Eat something you think is gross.

Plan a trip somewhere you’ve never been! -Exploring the land is sure to break down a few of your ignorant views.

Watch a movie you think looks stupid.

Asking out that girl/guy you’ve had a crush on to a FRIENDLY night of fun. I don’t promote acting like a couple for a night with someone you barely know, which is often perceived to constitute as a date in modern times. Instead, ask them to come to board game night and be sure to invite other people they know. Date your friends not strangers.

Read the books you own. Admit you were wrong. Join the RoundTable -yup this is a link.

Get a haircut or flip your hair to the other side.
But don’t fall to being a creature of habit with a daily routine.

What’s bad about being a creature of habit?
 
.....You’re boring! 

You’re going to not only bore yourself into depression you’re going to bore your girlfriend, boyfriend, roommate, friends, and friends’ friends.

  

If you’re changing, you’re growing

and if you’re growing, you’re going 

and if you're going, you’ll get there!

           Be happy!

I'm NOT a Hipster!?

Yes, I am. And you might be too if you value independent thinking, appreciate art and indie-rock, creativity, intelligence, and witty banter. 

I was recently called a hipster after playing the song,"Country Lane" by Telekinesis, which I've conveniently placed below for you to listen to as you continue reading. This particular blog entry was inspired by the cruelty of name calling :)

I enjoy  music that features folk roots, melodic string accompaniment, acoustic sonority, electric guitar riffs, and an emotional male lead vocal performance. Admiring the chemistry of sound is probably another characteristic of a hipster, but I'm no longer in denial. 

I shun mainstream societal conventions and rules that apply to relationships, dating, and love. I try my best to ignore the media, advertising, especially movie reviews. Everyone has their own framework of understanding, but I prefer not to be influenced before going through the process myself. People are becoming brainwashed zombies entranced by the power of the media. The media promotes ethnocentric ideas that poison self-expression and originality. Unfortunately, independent thinkers are an endangered species in modern times.

You don't have to look like you just came from a rave to be a hipster.

I don't wear thrift store clothing, old-school sneakers, or thick rimmed glasses. I don't dress like the stereotypical hipster, and I'm definitely not attracted to men dressed in colorful, bright, and often animal print, skinny clothing. I don't frequent coffee shops. My hair style isn't edgy, and I possess more than 2% body fat. 

But I do have a degree from a liberal arts college. I'd like to think I have creative analytical thinking abilities and good taste in music. I'm not a wasteful person, or a collector of material things. I contribute to independent culture. I have an appreciation for indie music and independent film. I do like ironically themed parties and weird food. I love philosophy and brain teasers. As the hipster definition suggests, I have been called bi-polar, but definitely not boring. 

Those who reject the hipster way often also reject social change in general, but won't admit to admiring those who are more sensitive, intelligent, and culturally aware.

Hipsters are also associated with beatniks or the Beat Generation of the 1950's and 60's, who rejected materialism, consumerism, and censorship. The Beat Generation was made up of anti-conformists, and others who liberated themselves from mainstream ideals.

Beatnik, Hipster, call me what you want you bore me!

What’s the point?

When thinking about the big picture and the limited time we have to live, it’s often difficult for us to see the point of things. We spend so much time talking about doing things and all these things just seem rather pointless after wasting so much time discussing them.

The word “things” seems rather meaningless and pointless as well, so allow me to specify. 

Pointless:

Consuming/collecting

Excessive documentation/paperwork

Being stubborn/Unwilling

Arguing/Blaming

Stressing

Waiting/Wasting

Forgetting/Lying

Negativity/Dwelling

Indecisiveness

Debating

Hate

Important:

Finding inspiration and capturing/preserving it’s magical touch

Creating/Leaving a permanent, ageless existence of yourself.

Making a difference and improving self/environment/others

Learning and acquiring knowledge/Reading

Listening and understanding

Live music/Good Food

Family/Friends/Meeting new people/Love

Being active and eating healthy

Breathing Fresh air/absorbing sunlight

Learning to let go

Making lists

Thinking/Questioning/Discussing

Remembering

Honesty/Faith/Change

Efficiency/Competence

Dreaming/Focusing/Planning

Exploring the depths of your abilities

Exploring your desires and acting on temptation

Setting and completing challenges/goals

Traveling/new experiences/Taking Risks

Escaping